Lexical Summary chalam: To dream Original Word: חָלַם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cause to dreamer, be in good liking, recover A primitive root; properly, to bind firmly, i.e. (by implication) to be (causatively to make) plump; also (through the figurative sense of dumbness) to dream -- (cause to) dream(-er), be in good liking, recover. Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [חָלַם] verb be healthy, strong (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic  Ethpe`el be made healthy, strong, Aph`el causative, also derivatives; חֲלַם press firmly together) — Qal Imperfect יַחְלְמוּ בְנֵיהֶם Job 39:4 their young are healthy. Hiph`il Imperfect2masculine singular וְתַחֲלִימֵנִי Isaiah 38:16 and restore me to health ("" וְהַחֲיֵ֫ינִי). II. חָלַם verb dream (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic Qal Perfect ׳ח Genesis 42:9; Daniel 2:1, חָלַמְתִּי Genesis 37:9 3t., חָלָ֑מְתִּי Genesis 37:6 2t., etc., + 3 t. Perfect; Imperfect יַחֲלֹם Isaiah 29:8 5t., יַחְלְמוּ Job 39:4, וַיַּחַלְמוּ Genesis 40:5, יַחֲלֹמ֑וּן Joel 3:1, נַחַלְמָה Genesis 41:11; Participle חוֺלֵם Deuteronomy 13:4,חֹלֵם Genesis 41:1; Deuteronomy 13:2; Deuteronomy 13:6, חֹלְמִים Psalm 126:1; — dream: a. of ordinary dreams of sleep Isaiah 29:8 (twice in verse); Psalm 126:1. b. of dreams with prophetic meaning: of Jacob Genesis 28:12, Joseph Genesis 37:5,6,9 (twice in verse); Genesis 37:10; Genesis 42:9, of Pharaoh and his servants Genesis 40:5,8; Genesis 41:1,5,11 (twice in verse); Genesis 41:15 (all E, not elsewhere in Hexateuch); of Midianite Judges 7:13, Nebuchad. Daniel 2:1,3, old men in latter days Joel 3:1. c. of dreams of false prophets Deuteronomy 13:2; Deuteronomy 13:4; Deuteronomy 13:6; Jeremiah 23:25 (twice in verse). Hiph`il Participle, מַחְלְמִים dream (of false prophets, with accusative of congnate meaning with verb) Jeremiah 29:8 (but read חֹלְמִים [מ by dittograph from אַתֶּם], Hi Gf Gie Gr). Topical Lexicon Semantic Field and Core Ideaחָלַם centers on the experience of “dreaming,” whether as a verb of action (“he dreamed”) or a participial description (“dreamer”). The word depicts both ordinary nocturnal dreams and divinely given revelations. From the opening pages of Genesis to the later prophets, חָלַם bears the dual possibility of genuine disclosure from God or deceptive imagination, a tension that Scripture repeatedly resolves by its tests of authenticity. Distribution across the Canon About thirty appearances of חָלַם are spread over five major groupings: 1. Patriarchal history (Genesis 20–41). The pattern underscores that dreams span all periods of Israel’s life and are never confined to a single spiritual era. Dreams as Divine Communication 1. Covenant advance in Genesis 2. Royal guidance 3. Prophetic accreditation False Dreams and the Test of Fidelity Deuteronomy 13:3 warns Israel: “You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you….” The criterion is doctrinal loyalty, not dramatic experience. Jeremiah 27–29 intensifies the warning; Hananiah’s optimistic “dream” collapses before Jeremiah’s yoke of Babylonian discipline. Thus חָלַם is never self-validating. Dreams must harmonize with previous revelation. The principle safeguards the unity of Scripture and protects God’s people from experientialism divorced from truth. Dreams and Ordinary Life Job wrestles with enigmatic dreams: “You frighten me with dreams” (Job 7:14). Later Elihu observes God “speaks…in a dream, in a vision in the night” (Job 33:15). The two passages illustrate both the discomfort and redemptive correction dreams can bring, paralleling Joseph’s corrective message to his brothers and Gideon’s assurance at the Midianite camp (Judges 7:13–15). Ecclesiastes 5:3 connects frequent dreams to “much busyness,” counseling restraint. Isaiah 29:8 uses dream imagery for frustrated enemies: their expectations will prove as unsubstantial as a night-vision that vanishes at dawn. Corporate Memory and Worship Psalm 126:1 compares Israel’s restoration to “those who dream,” framing חָלַם as a metaphor for unimaginable mercy fulfilled. The language teaches worshipers to remember past deliverances and anticipate future grace. Christological and Eschatological Echoes Though the Hebrew verb stops appearing after Zechariah, its theological trajectory continues. Joseph the husband of Mary receives angelic guidance “in a dream” (Matthew 1:20; 2:13, 19, 22), a narrative that consciously recalls Genesis Joseph and confirms that God still shepherds redemptive history through nocturnal revelation when it suits His purpose. Acts 2:17 quotes Joel to predict an age of increased visions and dreams. The citation assumes the Old Testament criteria: dreams serve the Word; they never supplant it. Pastoral and Devotional Implications • Expectation with discernment: Scripture encourages believers to regard dreams as possible avenues of God’s leading while submitting them to biblical testing. Key Passages for Study and Teaching Genesis 28:10-22; Genesis 37:1-11; Genesis 41:1-46; Numbers 12:1-8; Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Judges 7:9-15; 1 Kings 3:4-15; Job 33:14-18; Jeremiah 23:25-32; Zechariah 10:2. Conclusion Across the Old Testament, חָלַם is a testimony to a God who speaks, guides, warns, and comforts according to His covenant purposes. Whether confirming promises, exposing falsehood, or inspiring worship, the dreams of Scripture underscore that “the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Forms and Transliterations הַחֲל֥וֹם החלום וְתַחֲלִימֵ֖נִי וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֖ם וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וַיַּֽחַלְמוּ֩ וַיַּחֲלֹ֤ם וַיַּחֲלֹ֥ם וַנַּֽחַלְמָ֥ה ויחלם ויחלמו ונחלמה ותחלימני חֲלֹמ֣וֹת חָלַ֔מְנוּ חָלַ֔מְתִּי חָלַ֖ם חָלַ֖מְתִּי חָלַ֗מְתִּי חָלַ֤מְתִּֽי חָלַ֥ם חָלָ֑מְתִּי חָלָ֑מְתָּ חָלָֽמְנוּ׃ חָלָֽמְתִּי׃ חֹלֵ֔ם חֹלֵ֣ם חֹלֵם֩ חוֹלֵ֥ם חולם חלם חלמות חלמנו חלמנו׃ חלמת חלמתי חלמתי׃ יַחְלְמ֣וּ יַחֲלֹ֤ם יַחֲלֹ֨ם יחלם יחלמו כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃ כחלמים׃ מַחְלְמִֽים׃ מחלמים׃ chaLam chaLamenu chaLameta chaLameti chaLamnu chaLamti chaloMot choLem ha·ḥă·lō·wm ḥā·lā·mə·nū ḥā·lā·mə·tā ḥā·lā·mə·tî ḥā·lam ḥā·lam·nū ḥā·lam·tî ḥă·lō·mō·wṯ hachaLom haḥălōwm ḥālam ḥālāmənū ḥālāmətā ḥālāmətî ḥālamnū ḥālamtî ḥălōmōwṯ ḥō·lêm ḥō·w·lêm ḥōlêm ḥōwlêm kə·ḥō·lə·mîm kecholeMim kəḥōləmîm machleMim maḥ·lə·mîm maḥləmîm vaiyachalMu vaiyachaLom vannachalMah vetachaliMeni wan·na·ḥal·māh wannaḥalmāh way·ya·ḥă·lōm way·ya·ḥal·mū wayyaḥalmū wayyaḥălōm wə·ṯa·ḥă·lî·mê·nî wəṯaḥălîmênî ya·ḥă·lōm yachaLom yachleMu yaḥ·lə·mū yaḥălōm yaḥləmūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 28:12 HEB: וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ NAS: He had a dream, and behold, a ladder KJV: And he dreamed, and behold a ladder INT: had and behold A ladder Genesis 37:5 Genesis 37:6 Genesis 37:6 Genesis 37:9 Genesis 37:9 Genesis 37:10 Genesis 40:5 Genesis 40:8 Genesis 41:1 Genesis 41:5 Genesis 41:11 Genesis 41:11 Genesis 41:15 Genesis 42:9 Deuteronomy 13:1 Deuteronomy 13:3 Deuteronomy 13:5 Judges 7:13 Job 39:4 Psalm 126:1 Isaiah 29:8 Isaiah 29:8 Isaiah 38:16 Jeremiah 23:25 30 Occurrences |
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, חֲלַם; Ethiopic 
Arabic 
, dream, experience an emission of the seminal fluid, attain to puberty) —